sae mony
great faults o' my ain."

And David's personal accusation sounded so much like a reproof, that
James did not feel it safe to pursue the subject.

That very night David wrote thus to his nephew:

"Donald, my dear lad, if thou owest James Blackie L20, pay it
immediate. Lying is the second vice, owing money is the first. I
enclose draft for L70 instead o' L50, as per request."

That L70 was a large sum in the eyes of the careful Glasgow trader; in
the young Highlander's eyes it seemed but a small sum. He could not
form any conception of the amount of love it represented, nor of the
struggle it had cost David to "gie awa for nae consideration" the
savings of many days, perhaps weeks, of toil and thought.

In September Christine came back, and towards the end of October,
Donald. He was greatly improved externally by his trip and his
associations--more manly and more handsome--while his manners had
acquired a slight touch of hauteur that both amused and pleased his
uncle. It had been decided that he should remain in Glasgow another
winter, and then select his future profession. But at present Donald
troubled himself little about the future. He had returned to Christine
more in love with the peace and purity of her character than ever; and
besides, his pecuniary embarrassments in Glasgow were such as to
require his personal presence until they were arranged.

This arrangement greatly troubled him. He had only a certain allowance
from his father--a loving but stern man--who having once decided what
sum was sufficient for a young man in Donald's position, would not,
under any ordinary circumstances, increase it. David Cameron had
already advanced him L70. James Blackie was a resource he did not care
again to apply to. In the meantime he was pressed by small debts on
every hand, and was living among a class of young men whose habits led
him into expenses far beyond his modest income. He began to be very
anxious and miserable. In Christine's presence he was indeed still the
same merry-hearted gentleman; but James saw him in other places, and
he knew from long experience the look of care that drew Donald's
handsome brows together.

One night, towards the close of this winter, James went to see an old
man who was a broker or trader in bills and money, doing business in
the Cowcaddens. James also did a little of the same business in a
cautious way, and it was some mutual transaction in gold and silver
that took him